centrifuge

American  

[sen-truh-fyooj] / ˈsɛn trəˌfjudʒ /

noun

centrifuges plural

1. an apparatus that rotates at high speed and by centrifugal force separates substances of different densities, as milk and cream.

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verb (used with object)

centrifuges, present (3rd person singular) centrifuged, past participle, past centrifuging present participle

1. Also to subject to the action of a centrifuge.

centrifuge British  

/ ˈsɛntrɪˌfjuːdʒ, ˌsɛntrɪfjʊˈɡeɪʃən /

noun

1. any of various rotating machines that separate liquids from solids or dispersions of one liquid in another, by the action of centrifugal force

2. any of various rotating devices for subjecting human beings or animals to varying accelerations for experimental purposes

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verb

1. (tr) to subject to the action of a centrifuge

centrifuge Scientific  

/ sĕn′trə-fyo̅o̅j′ /

1. A machine that separates substances of different densities in a sample by rotating the sample at very high speed, causing the substance to be displaced outward, sometimes through a series of filters or gratings. Denser substances tend to be displaced from the center more than ones that are less dense.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• centrifugation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• centrifuges
  plural

Participles

• centrifuging
  present
• centrifuged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• centrifuge
  simple
• centrifuges
  simple
• have centrifuged
  perfect
• has centrifuged
  perfect
• are centrifuging
  progressive
• am centrifuging
  progressive
• is centrifuging
  progressive
• have been centrifuging
  perfect progressive
• has been centrifuging
  perfect progressive

Past

• centrifuged
  simple
• had centrifuged
  perfect
• was centrifuging
  progressive
• were centrifuging
  progressive
• had been centrifuging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will centrifuge
  simple
• will have centrifuged
  perfect
• will be centrifuging
  progressive
• will have been centrifuging
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of centrifuge

1795–1805; < French, noun use of centrifuge (adj.) < New Latin centrifugus center-fleeing; see centrifugal

Explanation

That ride at the fair that spins you around until you stick to the walls? The device in your washing machine that spins your clothes around quickly to get the water out of them? Those are centrifuges. Centrifuges are used mostly in science. In this application, centrifugal force — the force from spinning that moves things away from the center — separates liquids that have different weights. For example, a centrifuge is used to separate blood cells from plasma cells. When the blood is spun in the centrifuge, the heavier plasma cells separate from the lighter blood cells, and can be collected for other uses.